Today started off like any other work day. Driving up to the school bright and early at 6:45 am. The sun just barely peeking through the clouds as I approached the big building on the hill.
Who would’ve thought that the peace and serenity of the blissful morning would transform into a day that felt like we had been sucked down the same rabbit hole that Alice found herself tumbling down in Wonderland.
It all started with 6 simple words:
“He’s calling people to the office”
To students, the office is looked at as a place where you go when you’re in “trouble” regardless of how hard we try to dispel this image, it just doesn’t change.
Today we had the mindset of the students and were somewhat terrified to be called to walk that corridor to his office in the back corner.
You see, today was the day we found out our grade level assignments for the next school year.
It was literally a teacher draft pick. The rumor mill was a brewing. Who was moving? Who was staying, who was leaving? Questions that needed immediate answers, but of course the answers to those questions trickled in over the course of the school day.
Half the staff found out their fate early in the day while the rest of had to suffer in the unknown for hours and hours. Okay, so it was like a 2 hour wait from the first group, but still, it felt like forever in teacher waiting for information hours.
I was getting in my steps during my planning break when a coworker came and told me it was my time to go see him.
Now mind you, I had been cool as a cucumber seeing everyone else get called and hearing their fate. I was reassuring teammates you’re good, don’t worry, but in that moment after the words left her lips, I was shook!
My heart did a little pitter patter back flip inside my chest. I grabbed my mask and headed to the office.
Walking with a little pep in my step, I said a silent prayer: “Please let me stay in 2nd grade”
The hallway to the office felt longer, darker, and I swear I heard maniacal whispers and cackling as I made it closer to the door, but maybe it was just in my head.
I could see the glimmer of light from his office. Was that a sign that things were going to be okay? With a final deep breath I walked in with a smile on my face.
There sat him and her looking at me. Me looking at them. Smiles on their faces too. Okay, let’s get this over with I wanted to scream.
I sat down and watched him rustle with a few papers before he said, “Congratulations you’re coming back! “
Whooo hoo! My arms shot up in the air like I just made the winning goal! But wait there was more I needed to hear I reminded myself. That was only the first bit of good news I need to hear, that I had secured my job. But now the big feat, what grade was I going to teach?
He looked at me. I looked at him. He looked at me. I looked at him.
Just say it , just say it. I thought to myself.
“You’re in 2nd grade! “
Another shout escaped my lips. I’m sure the front office staff heard me through the closed door!
With a few last spoken words. I thanked him and headed back to my hallway to share the news.
The pounding of my heart slowly began to dissipate. I shared the news with my teammates and we all could finally have a bit of relief. No more guessing, no more texting, no more trying to determine our own fate by playing 20 questions with our other coworkers.
Today started out pretty nice and you know what, when I think of it, it ended quite beautifully too.